Wed Oct 30 11:13:20 UTC 2024: ## BJP Releases Fourth List of Candidates for Maharashtra Elections, Controversy Over Ayushman Bharat Scheme

**Mumbai, October 30, 2023:** The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its fourth list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Meanwhile, a heated debate over the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme has erupted between the ruling BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a gathering at the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi, apologized to the elderly population above 70 years of age in Delhi and West Bengal, stating he couldn’t help them due to state government decisions. He accused the AAP and Trinamool Congress of obstructing the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in their respective states for “political interests.”

Responding to the PM’s allegations, AAP National Convenor and Delhi’s former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Modi of using healthcare as a political tool and spreading misinformation. Kejriwal stated that he has yet to find a single person who has benefited from Ayushman Bharat in Delhi. He highlighted the Delhi government’s own healthcare scheme which provides free treatment to all residents, regardless of the cost.

Further escalating the issue, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj labeled Ayushman Bharat a “failed” scheme, claiming that poor patients from states where the scheme is operational are seeking treatment at Delhi hospitals due to its inadequacy. He also emphasized the effectiveness of Delhi’s own healthcare schemes, which are more impactful than Ayushman Bharat.

Echoing similar sentiments, AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh labelled Ayushman Bharat “impractical,” asserting that beneficiaries need to meet specific income criteria and lack access if they own assets like refrigerators or motorcycles.

The controversy surrounding Ayushman Bharat has raised concerns about its efficacy and sparked a political battle between the BJP and AAP ahead of the Maharashtra elections. It remains to be seen how this debate will impact the electoral campaign and public perception of the scheme.

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